Dangers

The dangers of big government are readily apparent, at least to any who take the slightest time to look for them.  It's not just the remoteness, the bureaucracy, etc.  Consider, too, the biggest danger:  evil people who gain control of government.  I'm talking about some folks in government right now, of course, but I also have a very definite example from history.

First, today......  Many Democrats are seeking a Constitutional Amendment to limit campaign contributions, that is to restrict individuals' rights to support candidates of their choosing with money.  I guess I'm in with the crowd that considers this free speech, putting one's money where one's mouth is.  (Now, I do have some problems with corporate and union contributions.  Have you noticed that those who speak out against large donations by big companies, never get exercised, say, by unions' or ethnic groups' spending?  Corporations are, legally, treated as persons.  But that said, who was it who uttered, "I will believe corporations are people when Texas executes one?")  Harry Reid is behind a Constitutional Amendment authored by Senator Udall that would pretty much give Congress the power to limit spending, that is, free political speech.  Funny how all of these liberals, at least superficially for "the people," do the most to curtail individual rights.  I reckon this has no chance of going anywhere, but is a political ploy to use against the Reps in the November elections.  But, consider if such an amendment would pass, the power over our rights as outlined in the First Amendment would be susceptible to the whims of Congress, esp the big government folks.

No, I'm not going to harp once again on the federal government telling what kind of light bulbs, flush toilets, and everything else to us.  Neither am I going to decry the federal government telling what our kids can eat for lunch.  I'm not even going to bring up ObamaCare, that the federal government can force us to buy something many Americans don't want to buy--or buy health insurance that isn't as good, costs more, has higher deductibles, may limit our choices of doctors and care, etc.  Nope, I'm going back in time, about 90 years, for a history lesson.

Prohibition came with the ratification of the 18th Amendment.  Called "the Noble Experiment," I suppose an argument can be made about the pitfalls of alcohol or at least its abuse.  I don't agree with that argument, but well, it can be made.  But here's the kicker, a tie-in with the dangers of big government, one that has control over our lives.  And, if you don't believe it, as Casey Stengel often said, "You could look it up."

The feds found that many folks during Prohibition were getting their alcohol through products legitimately produced.  Alcohol can be found in things such as anti-freeze, embalming fluid, etc.  People were--ugh!--drinking those things to get their alcohol.  Well the feds couldn't have that, could they?  So denatured alcohol was required for the anti-freeze, embalming fluid, etc.  But, instead of using, say, soap to denature, to make the drinker sick, the feds used strychnine and mercury--yes, poisons!  Ingesting them leads to death, an excruciating death.  In 1927 several thousand Americans died from drinking denatured alcohol, with some putting the number at closer to 11,000.  And why, because the federal government, as used by evil people, deliberately poisoned these citizens.  Alcohol, which had been the fifth largest industry in the US, generated about half a billion dollars in revenue a year.  The federal government, by pushing Prohibition, took that $500 million out of the hands of legitimate businesses (who paid taxes!) and gave it to thugs, such as the Purple Gang and Al Capone.  Oh, there's far more, but that's enough for now.

The next time you're ready to say, "Oh, c'mon Ron......," think of what the federal government, controlled by evil people, did to Americans during Prohibition.

And speaking of big government, it got a boost when Mitch McConnell defeated his Tea Party opponent in the Rep Senate primary in Kentucky.  That's too bad.  It's apparent that the Establishment Republicans want to continue to throw big government candidates at us--check his record, supporting all that big government stuff pushed by W. Bush--such as  TARP.